Independence, Missouri

Independence is a city located on the territory of Missouri. It is the fourth largest city in Missouri and extends into the counties Jackson and Clay. The city has a population of about 117 000 people and is the administrative center of Jackson County.

The city played a major role in the early history of the movement of Latter-day Saints. There is built their temple. Centuries ago, the area where today the city of Independence is, was inhabited by the Indian tribes Missouri and Osage. Then Spaniards settled in this territory, and then Frenchmen. The area became part of the U.S. in 1803.

In 1827 the town of Independence was founded, and quickly became a border city. This was the farthest point west of the Missouri River, where cargo vessels could get. The city quickly became a commercial center.

In 1831 members of the movement of Latter-day Saints began to move to Jackson County. Soon after, the founder of the movement, Joseph Smith Jr. said that the west of the town square is the place where they have to erect the temple of New Jerusalem, where they will expect the second coming of Christ.

Members of the movement of Latter-day Saints were driven from the city in 1833. Some of them returned near the city and founded branches of the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-day Saints.

In the late thirties of the nineteenth century, Independence flourished. In 1849 was elected the first mayor of the city. In the mid-nineteenth century by an act of Congress, the U.S. town of Independence was chosen to begin the road to Oregon.

During the American Civil War in Independence took place two major battles - one was on the eighteenth of August 1862, when Confederate troops captured the city and in October 1864, when the battle ended in victory for the armies of the South.

The war seriously affected the economy of the city and it was never able to regain its former prosperity. U.S. President Harry Truman was raised in the city of Independence.

In 1922 he was elected district court judge in Jackson County. His wife Bess Truman was born and raised in Independence. Both are buried here. In Independence are the presidential library of Harry Truman and the house-museum of Harry Truman.

Independence is still of great importance for the movement of Latter-day Saints and the place where the central office of the society of Christ is, the second largest branch of this movement. The movement built a temple in the city.

In Independence is the largest public genealogical library in the U.S. Here is the largest archive of the Korean War.